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Abstract: The philosopher Michel Foucault's theoretical work provides fertile ground for an analysis of areas of significant concern in researching of social work through his development of the ideas of discourse, power/knowledge, surveillance and governmentality. His development of these concepts allows an insight into the function of policy not always apparent in mainstream and contemporary social policy analysis which has been based on the sociological triumvirate of social class, gender and "race". In this article, we can explore how and why these conceptual gifts from Foucault are pertinent to understanding how service users are constructed as objects of social work, particularly with respect to contemporary discourses of social welfare and social exclusion. The paper argues that the use of these ideas challenges some of the less obvious assumptions permeating current developments in social policy and social work provision, whilst also enabling an ability to respond more contextually to shifting frameworks of power and knowledge. There is an acknowledgement of power and its potential positive impact on subjective sense of self and social work has a part to play in this. At the same time, the paper concludes with a warning of "risk" and professional surveillance and its restriction in facilitating empowerment of vulnerable groups.
Keywords: Social Work Surveillance; Foucault; Power Relations; Risk; Vulnerability.
Cuvinte-cheie: Supravegherea asistentei sociale; Foucault; relatii de putere; risc; vulnerabilitate.
Introduction
Recently, there has been an extraordinary international rise in interest and debate about social work. This article draws upon the work of Michel Foucault in order to sketch out a possible conceptual "tool-kit" for the critical analysis of social work as lt nas Deen characterized in social discourse. More specifically, we suggest that Foucault' s ideas can be used to understand the construction of social welfare. This article attempts an initial assessment of the relevance of Foucauldian analyses and offers novel insights about the changing influence of social welfare.
Over the past decade, modern social work in the United Kingdom, like elsewhere in Canada, Australia and North America, has experienced an intense process of rationalization and politicization. Social work has constantly had to respond to challenges that reflect dynamics produced by the shifting priorities of government (Gilbert and Powell, 2005). In the UK, most pressing have been concerns identified with...